Mexican Fare with a Flair

By: Wes Simons | June 18 2010
Posted in Seattle - Find It - Seattle

The San Juan Islands, located in the northern most section of the Puget Sound, are home to a variety of eateries where locally grown ingredients aren't the exception, they're the norm. Orcas Island's Chimayo is a hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant on the main drag of Orcas' biggest town, Eastsound. Most Mexican restaurants feature an abundance of piñatas and hanging ceramic birds, but Chimayo's walls are decorated with local art and a subdued décor that lends itself to a nice quiet evening, rather than a fiesta featuring several rounds of tequila shots. The food has Mexican roots, but the menu, notably the daily specials, all play strongly off of the abundance of seafood available in the Northwest.

Photo: Wes Simons

We stopped in for lunch on a Tuesday after a hike around Cascade Lake. The special board outside caught our attention and we had a choice of halibut tacos, Dungeness crab quesadilla, braised pork enchiladas and relleno stuffed enchiladas. I was fortunate enough to be with a large group so I got to try everything.

The pork enchiladas were excellent, with just the right amount of cheese and sauce. The halibut tacos featured two good sized tacos with freshly breaded chunks of halibut. By the time I got around to trying the crab quesadillas, I had already overindulged and my taste buds were waning. Each dish included either rice and beans or a salad, and was properly proportioned to be filling without causing discomfort. The beans were made without lard, a refreshing change from the normal fatty Mexican fare.

For dessert, we tried the house specialty, green chili apple pie. The chili was very subtle and the pie was delicious. In addition to the specials, Chimayo also has a build-your-own burrito, taco or tostada menu. The specials change with the season, so not matter what time of year you stop by, the food is guaranteed to be fresh and delicious.